Marelen Hotel

HI, we went to the Marelen in july 2006 and stayed self catering, we had a great time and are returning this july 2007 going bed and breakfast this time, can anyone tell me what the facilites are in the bed and breakfast rooms? is there a kettle and utencils and cooking facilities etc?

me and jenna had a fab time here!!!! 

This hotel was fab, i stayed here for 2 weeks in August with my mum n dad and i took a friend, jenna . We had soooo much fun on this holiday, the hotel was amazing and so where all the staff!!! we liked it so much we have already book to go back next year!! we didnt go to the beach much, only for the pedal boats,  but it was only a short walk down the road, (5 mins if that). we met soo many fab people here and hope to see them agian next year!!!!  i dont really no what else to say apart from this hotel is amazing!!!! and we cant wait to go back!!!!  

Just some of the fab people we met here

hello , jus wanna tell u al dis wa the best hols i bin on n met loadz of amazin people

Quality holiday!!! The hotel was pretty good throughout, except for the ants nest and the hundreds of mosquitos....little buggas!!! me and my girlfriend had about 15 bites between us from the ants hahaha...and no double beds!!!  However, could not fault the food, entertainment, friendliness of staff etc etc....Was amazing holiday and will deffo be back for clubbin in lagana, and chillin in kalamaki at the bars and restaurants, and the wicked quad bikes that u can hire!! Will be back next year for sure!!! Paul and Laura xx

Amazin!! Best hol weve had. Really friendly staff in the hotel and all around the resort. Always make u feel welcome.. Marelen staff always happy to help no matter wot. Cud say its quiet but the planes dnt help, although they was 1 of the highlights of our hol, we aint complainin!! Met sum kwl ppl ova there, evry1 seemed happy n relaxed all the time. Thanks alot  Love Laura, Charlie, Sam, Jackie, Mark N Baby Jessica x x x x

My family stayed at the Marelen Hotel from 22 July to the 6th August. (including our 11 year old son and 15 & 17 year old daughters) We stayed in self catering studios which was ideal for us as we did not want to be up too early for breakfast. The studios were rather small however, we did not really spend much time in there so it didn't matter too much. They were cleaned every day and we had clean linen and towels every other day. Air conditioning is  a must and cost EUR30 a week.  The hotel gardens and pool areas were immaculate and there is a nice eating area where you can buy food/snacks relatively cheaply. There are 2 computers in the bar which was a god send for our kids who wanted to keep in touch with friends via MSN (9 Euros for 2 hours) and also a pool table which allowed us to have a drink or two in peace. The staff were friendy and helpful.  We found a wide range of age groups staying at the Marelen which suited all of our family. We would definately stay there again.

hi everyone , I happened to come across the site and it has helped me imensely, as myself and husband are goin to kalamaki on the 14th sept. With all the comments I have read, we hope to have a great time as alot of you seem to have had. Lookin forward to meeting the people mentioned. Also I will let you all know how we got on ourselves.

oh how i love this place!! i have just got back about an hour ago and want to go back !! i loved the pool ... too deep for my mum like !! haha! the evening entertainment was good.. i wasnt bothered about that though !! i just liked drinkin my heineken from nick!! he was takin the mick on my last night cos i said heineken in a scouse accent!! i'm not even a scouser!! im from hartlepool!!! bet ya dont kno where that is!! its cos i was with scousers for a few days!! haha!!  the coolest scousers like!! paula gemma, abby and lil steven!!

anyway poor costas ..he never seems to sleep !! i always saw him early on a morning watering the gardens and late at night serving me   in the bar!! 
my mum and dad arent really the people to go back to the same place too soon, but i really hope i can change their minds cos this was such a good holiday!! we got stickers saying "i <3 hotel marelen" i wore it on my top all the way home and still have it on now!!



i wonder if the people at the hotel look on ere ?? i hope yas do cos i want yas to kno how good the hotel is. best holiday ever!!

i will definately be seein everyone soon .. whether its with my mum and dad or on my bloody own if they decide to go to kefalonia!! zakynthos is so much better!! just the name makes ya think that its a better place!!  never been to kefalonia loike but i kno it cant be as good as kalamaki zakynthos!!

byeee x

  hey hey i stayed at the marelen hotel from the 12th -26th of july and cannot faulty them at all!! ill be back next year for sure!! xx

Hi this is just to reply to a comment on here from Richard Osbourne left on 2nd July...GOD what an earth were you talking about, what does this fella want from a package holiday, wasn,t happy about anything, slagged off the rooms, the cleaniness, the entertainment, the food WELL just about everything......He must live in buckingham palace cos this year was my5th time here & as far as im concerned you cannot fault the marelen at all, the staff are lovely, food,entertainment, just about everything is great so i suggest next time you want a holiday ritchie boy, stay away from this happy hotel & GO STAY WIV THE QUEEN

We came back from staying here on the 08/07/06, we stayed for two weeks, we had a lovely time, the hotel is clean and tidy throughout, the staff are aproachable and helpful.  I was bed and breakfast board basis but they do have a problem with birds flying through the dining area and they are very tame so if you don't like birds which I don't, it's not good!  We eventually stopped having breakfast as I was not enjoying that time and walked into town for brekkie which was 4 euros so not much lost there.  Eat at the Parthenon it's fabulous food and the service is second to none!  Food is wonderful in the town so much choice, beach is lovely, highly reccomend this holiday for singles and families. 

Has nobody been to the Hotel Marelen in a while?? cos i keep lookin everyday and there hasnt been any messages recently!!

Just got back from our fourth year running at the Marelen, once again a perfect holiday made even better by the friends we made and the ones we already had (Nick & Edmond especially). Absolutely Knackered as we rarely left the Bar before 4am. Already in the process of booking for next year. Anyone looking for a great family holiday, if you like the beach and a few beers cannot go wrong with this hotel. If Nick the barman tells you he has never lost a bet with a tourist just mention the name Mel as my wife managed to take 20 euros off him. Fantastic friendly atmosphere every evening just watch out for Micheala who organises some of the entertainment, she loves to make fun of people but hates it when you give it back,(thats why she doesnt like us or anyone we meet). Thanks to everyone at the hotel and to all the new friends we made see you next year for Gerry & Nigels wedding.

The maralen hotel made our holiday perfect and I didn't want to go home, we went bed and breakfast however breakfast finishes at 9.30 am and we never got up for it until our last day and i  must say that that breakfast was lovely!!!I would recommend getting air conditioning in room its about 60 euros for two weeks, o and if u go bed and breakfast you have to pay for a fridge. The food from the poolside bar is served throughout the day and is quite cheap and really nice esp the chicken wrap things. The pool is lovely and is clean. The staff here are really nice and friendly. Some noise from airoplanes cause they fly low over hotel but get used to this. I really enjoyed staying at the maralen and would definately go again next year, its a quiet resort alot of familys but good for young people to- (as long as u keep noise down!!hehe). The maid service is v.good too, our room was always v.clean.  - o only thing is the bbq night they didn't have sausages or beef burgers?????Supermarket is about 100 metres at top of road, its so close to the beach and to resturaunts- i would definately recommend the maralen to all.

Hi me and my family went to Marelen Hotel  2 weeks in june and it was excellent would love to go back, yes there is hairdryer in bathroom not very powerful and yes I would take mosqueto repellent for room as you will need it. One of our best holidays we sayed in 2 bed apartment very clean and lovely place.

jessica you will be fine, there are plenty young ones in your age group around the hotel and resort to make friends with. the beach is just 200 metres away and in the evening there is night life for all tastes and all the staff in all the restraunts and bars make everyone wellcome. you will find the resort a little bigger than when your family last visited but it still has its unique charm and atmosphere. we have been 4 times from 1995 uptill present and the staff in the resort never forget you. the greek dance and bbq night is good in marelen as well. hope it brings back good memories of your first visit, as it did for us thats why we return year after year.

We also arrived back on 5 July (Hi Mel, Max and the rest of you!!).  We had a two bedroom apartment which was roomy and clean and could have slept six - nice big balcony too.  Really struggle to find fault with the hotel or the resort.  We went on a reps trip to the water park which was horrendously overpriced - cheaper to hire a car or get a taxi and pay when you get there.  Had some lovely food in the nearby restaurants, met some great people and had a fab holiday.  Enjoy the Marelen -its great

Helene, Mick, Adam, Mark and Lucy

Well we got back on Weds 5th July after a 2 week stay and i can honestly say we loved it.  Ok our beds were all in one room which for 5 of us was a little cramped but hey, it's only accomodation to put your head down in whilst you explore the island.

Kids entertainment was good, my daugther got a little over excited at the kids club lol.  Food at the accomodation was good, location was good.

Air con was an absolute must and a god send.  I think it's a shame you have to pay for a fridge but hey, you do.

The kids made some good friends out there, a few of which we will be keeping in touch with.  So that's all good.

Would like to go back next year.

We have recently returned form a stay in this hotel (28th june 2006) and I dont understand the comments about this hotel. Peoples standards must be very low. Firstly the hotel is in a good location for the beach but its a long walk to the resort especially in the heat. The rooms are tiny and you can barely swing a cat in them. And they were filthy dirty. It appears that they tend to clean around things as under our bed and in the crevices of the bed frame was filthy and disgusting. The breakfast was very poor and repetitive and involved queing for 1/2 hour to use the slowest toaster in the world. No fresh juice just diluted cordial and lots of things like jelly and blamange that no reasonable parent would want their kids to eat for breakfast. The coffee was also shocking and so watery that you may as well drink water. The snack bar wasnt much better and we ate there only because it was such a walk to go anywhere else to get anything. The reception staff were always miserable and could barely raise a smile. However the guys running the bar were at least friendly.

f a o lisa brodie. we stayed here in 2004 and will also be there 16th july this year for 2 weeks. air con costs 30 euro per week and is worth every euro of it. set the room temp to what you want and it will cool the room before you know it. you can leave it on all night at no extra cost.  as others have said this is a superb hotel  near to all the aminities you will need. see you there if you are going at the same time as us.

There's a kids club run by Michaela every morning I think from Monday to Friday between 11-12. 

Hope this helps 

we are going to marelen on 30th july having been there 11yrs ago 4 our honeymoon,we are returning this year with our 3 children,could anyone tell me if they now have kids clubs

Have just come back from Zakynthos (25/6) & wanted to give our thoughts on Marelen Hotel.

The beach is soft sand although due to the turtles nesting there, some parts of the beach (depth ways) is requested not to be used.  Its about 45min/1hr walk along the beach from Kalamaki to Laganas.  The water is very shallow for at least 80m or so, so ideal for children to play in!

Nicci, Rob & Kydan

marelen is one of the best hotels in zante, and we have been to a few having been to zante several times.situated  near the beach and just a short walk from the best restraunts in kalamaki dennis in reception and nick in the bar in particular will help you with all you want to know. best time to visit , mid june and take a short walk to the beach hire a peddalo and watch the turtles coming into lay there eggs but do not disturb them, if you sit just off shore at early evening they will swim right past you. daytime round the pool is chiil and enjoy the sun ,evening entertainment is very good with traditional greek dancing as well as barbeque nights and sometimes english comedian or singing artists.

We emailed the hotel direct and they charge 15 euros per 5 kilos of washing. They send it out apparently. There is probably a launderette in resort though as there usually is. 

We are about to embark on the island of Zante for our 6th time, and 4th time at the Hotel Marelen, with every year of going to the Marelen i find ourselves asking how they can excell any more in what they offer!! V friendly staff, outstanding cleanliness, a variety of breakfast meals, excellent entertainment with Nick and Micheala in the evening, childrens clubhouse running mon - friday. The owners of the marelen are really interested and keen in making your holiday a great holiday. The bbq and greek night are a must and the childrens clown show is really funny for the kids!!

Add had agreat time when we visited in sept 05 weather was okay apart from thunderstorm the staff were lovely couldnt fault the greek night that was fantastic definately will return

I have just returned from the Maralen after a week's stay with 3 friends. First of all I must say that the Hotel was literally a stones throw from the airport, and you could almost reach up and touch the planes as they flew over our apartment.  This however, did not bother us as they only passed over during the daytime.  The apartment (2 bedroomed) was of ample size, although we had a small kitchen in which we spent most of our time in, and no sitting room.  We did however, have a large balcony with table and chairs, but we didn't get alot of sun and was therefore sometimes quite chilly.  The weather on the whole was brilliant 25-30 degrees during the day, but much colder in the evenings, so do take a jacket.  The apartment was not too clean, we bought bleach the first day and poured it down the plug holes.  We did have our sheets changed twice during the week though and were given clean towels at the same time.

hi to all at the marelen,

Myself and partner have just returned from the Marelen Hotel (22 Sep) we had a great time. It suits both couples and families.

Be warned Marelen is virtually on the flight path for the airport and you do get a lot of noise from this, but to be honest after the first day it becomes normal and we hardly noticed it. *** Take plenty of mosquito cream/repellent and a plug in 'thingy' for the room as these are a pest and plenty suffered who hadn't come prepared.

All in all we loved it and are considering going back to the Maralen in 2007.

Martin

we stayed for 2 weeks at the marelen hotel in zante and it was the best holiday that  we have ever had  the people and staff were very friendly and we always felt welcome hopefully we will be coming bk soon  bi x x x x x x x x x x x

im goin to the marelen hotel on 28th sept could anybody tell me if there is a dress code at nite or can you wear anything

hi just spent two weeks at what i can only describe as one of the best locations in zante for a really relaxing holiday.

Just came back from 2 weeks staying at the marelen hotel, absolutly wonderful time the hotel was really lovely and staff very friendly very close to beach which is really nice and sea is great to swim in, the only problem we found was swimming pool very deep there isnt a shallow end in the big pool which made it slightly harder the baby pool is ok but not big enough for our 4 year old who luckily can swim.  I would recomend eating out a oasis tree and merlis tavern both gorgeos food and merlis done free puddings which helped 2 save money.Both places food was really tasty, ate at mermaids after reading such good reviews but personally wouldnt rave about it at never visited it again food was ok but nothing special and arrived in 5 mins which meant it obv wasnt freshly cooked! Book trips with the local operatours they are very good and much cheaper we went on boat trip round whole island and it only cost us 40 euros for 2 adults and 2 children which was really cheap.  Would recomend this holiday to anyone if you have booked the marelen you will have a super time

We have not long got back from a weeks holiday in Kalamaki and when we arrived at the hotel we were greeted by staff and shown to our rooms, we already knew that we were having a 2 bed apartment which sleeps 6 as that was all airtours had left and there is only 2 of us so we ad lots of room and two bathrooms! we also paid for air con which is really necessary as it is so hot which cost 40 euros for week we had a box in each bedroom. It was very effective too!  The hotel has lovely gardens with a nice pool and excellent snack bar the guy that makes all the food is a legend he works so hard and calls your food out on a mega phone! the hotel had alot of young families with children and this did make the pool area quite busy and loud sometimes so we often went accross the road to the louros beach and used their pool which was nice and they had a jacuzzi too, the hotel bar was very nice in evening and they now have air conditioning which was so cool as before we arrived it wasnt working apparantly, Nick the barman seems very popular with guests!  the self catering facilities however were rubbish! you could not possibly eat in as we had two small rings which were horrible and no where to sit and eat!  also the supermarkets did not sell food to cook they only sold like crisps and ice creams so we eat out every night. The restaurants and bars are about a 10 min walk away and it seems abit of a treck sometimes we particually reccommend Paolos and Olive tree for food and service beware of some of the indian restaurants as they are a rip off and the curry was not nice!! Our hotel entertainment was average alot got cancelled for some reason, the karoke is fun to watch and we went to a turtle slide show one evening but were the only ones there!!! we used the louros beach hotel opposite as their entertainment was abit more fun! In the day we used the beach alot its 5 mins away and we hired a pedalo! strongly reccommended as we saw lots of turtles but you have to trvel out half way between Kalamaki and Laganas to see them in the quieter bit of water, they are wonderful creatures! we also reccommend the snack bar/ restaurant on Kalamaki beach as the food is lovely and reasonable for a lunch. The excursion to cruise to smugglers cove was ok beware though as the cruise gets crowded and we had to sit inside boat whole day as there was no space outside and the sea gets very choppy and everyone was feeling ill including myself and you cannot usually go on to shipwreck as its too dangerous! apart from that the holiday was good and we would reccommend it, but be warned the Zakynthos airport is a living Nightmare!!!

Hi Denise,

Hi we are going to the marelen in August really looking forward to it after seeing the comments on here but can anyone tell me the price of air con per week as def think we will need it and want to budget before we go, also is the water park any good we are taking our 7 and 4 year old with us, thank you

We are going to stay at the Maralen in August and our friends are staying at the Caretta Beach hotel so can anyone tell me how far apart the two hotels are please.

Can anyone help?! We are going to Kalamaki for the first time this year and staying in Hotel Marelen, but i am abit worried that it is in the middle of nowhere and takes a long walk to get to the bars etc........ is it a bit of a nightmare?!?!?! Any help would be fantastic!! Thanks very much! x

I think you'll find that if you've booked self catering you'll get a fridge - if b&b you won't!!

Just a hint to anyone coming to Zante - try and book direct We have this year and including flights etc we've saved about £500!!!

  According to the Airtours brochure I have, Studios and Two Bedroom Apartments have a fridge in the rooms. The Marelen Hotel web site gives a 3D look around one of the rooms-only a one bed studio- but a fridge is in the kitchen area.

I have booked a holiday to the Hotel Marelen in June. Please can anybody tell me if the twin rooms have a fridge within the room. Thanks!!!

Had a great time here Staff friendly great pool and snack bar Mikalas lovely! Bit of a treck to centre but kept the weight off! Dont take horse and carriage - cost us 20 euros for 3 mins! Book boat trips direct-much cheaper-recommend 3 hour trip only 15 euros for 3! ( compare that to reps prices! ) Water park ok but go after 2 then half price Best restaurants Parthanon and Mikalos Down under good for a late drink Superb island but dont come expecting loads of things to do-its what a Greek island should be If you want life go to Ibiza and leave this heaven to the people who appreciate it!

I stayed in a double plus bunks a few years ago. I'd say the space was acceptable rather than great. If you grab one of the kids by the ankles and spin them round, you shouldn't get (much) blood on the walls. If your children are teens it could be a bit cramped, but there's always a balcony for escape! Don't worry about the space issue, it's a great hotel, ideally located with better than average facilities.

Booked up for July, but could not get an apartment. Can anyone reassure me that a twin room for 2 adults and two kids will not be too cramped? Not worried about no cooking facilities, just the amount of living space available!

Has anyone seen where the Costas Apartments near the Marelene,we went to marelene last year but going to costas this year,would like to know roughly where it is,many thanks to anyone who can help.

Just got back from hols last Wednesday. I read this page before I went and was really looking forward to it, as we got a cheap package deal and got a top hotel. This hotel was brilliant. Our cleaner was lovely, the reception staff were nice and the room was huge. Room 513. There were just 2 of us and we had a double bed, bunk beds and sofa to choose from in the 2 bedrooms. The shower was hypnotising- I think I spent most of my holiday there, it was so powerful!!! We also had a double balcony which took up the whole side of our block, so we had some privacy. You can hear the planes in the morning but it's not disturbing. Would definitely recommend this hotel, and it's also close to the beach!!

watch out 4 the cleaners as the one that cleand my nd my 2 m8s room stole my sun glasses nd tryed on my skirt part from that its good

We stayed here from 12th-26th August. This was our fifth visit to Kalamaki so we are old hands at this. The Marelen is in a lovely location and a beautiful setting. The staff helpful if a little surly. Everywhere is spotlessly clean and a credit to the owner. However, we stayed in room 230 and this was an extremely small room. It was supposed to be self catering, we did have a hob, kettle, fridge and a few items of crockery. We did not attempt to cook at all and even if we had there was nowhere to sit apart from on your bed or on the balcony. You could not bring in balcony furniture as the room was so small there would have been no room for you. The bathroom was tiny, but had a bath. A wet room would have been roomier. If any one was on the toilet you hit their legs if you opened the door.

The room did have air conditioning at a cost of 30 euros per week which I will point out is cheap. We paid 70euros per week last year at another complex. Dont phone home from the room. This is a rip off. We paid 27 euros for 11 minutes. If we had used the phone box we would have got 10mins for 10 euros. The hotel blamed the phone company!!

We did not use the pool at the hotel as it was quite small for all the people staying. We would drift over to the Louros Beach which was beautiful and often empty. Neither did we join in activities as kareoke is not really our thing.

We were lucky to be here at Olympic time and watched a lot of this in many bars. Water park fantastic, mountains spectacular, beaches at Alakanas terrific. Will go back to Kalamaki next year but not with Airtours. Rather ripped off with them. If you paid to have a meal you need not have bothered as Mytravel gave everyone a meal regardless of payment. If you prebooked seats this too was a waste of money as at the airport they jsut plonked on the first seat numbers they came too. The bus back to the airport was awful. No air con and very decrepid. I dehydrated in the 15 minutes we were on it and felt ill for hours after.

Still Zante is the most wonderful place and we love it. So all the minor niggles pale into insignificance when you add up all the beautiful things about this island. Sign the petition to save the turtles. This is so important. Dont let the brits be responsible for contributing towards their extinction.

Further to previous comments: don't be put off by the aircraft and the close proximity of the airport. Yes the planes are close, yes they are noisy but it is an added attraction to your holiday. The children loved seeing the planes and looked out for them for the entire duration of our holiday. After the first morning we tended to not notice them as much.

Just returned from 2 weeks at the Marelen. The hotel and Kalamaki is perfect for families. We felt very safe during our entire holiday. The locals are incredibly friendly and welcoming.
Our room was very clean but basic, however, we had hoped we would have air-conditioning (requested when booked) and were told there were no other rooms available. We did manage with a fan (cost 30EUR for 2 weeks), although it is very hot at night.
The pool area is spacious and there are always spare sunbeds available. Beware with small children though the shallow end is at least 4ft deep.
Breakfast leaves a lot to be desired. We preferred to wait until after 10.30am and buy a meal from the pool snack bar.
The hotel is very close to the beach and only a short walk from the main town. Many excellent restaurants to choose from including Paolo's, Artemis and the new Chinese/Indian Jamuna.
Overall our holiday has been excellent and we would return but definitely would make sure we had air con!!

Vanessa

Although the presence of aircraft noise may initially appear a little daunting, I wouldn't worry too much if I were you. Except for rare occasions, due to the prevailing wind direction, the aircraft will be coming in to land, which is considerably less noisy than take off. Zante is a relatively small holiday destination so the number of flights in/out are quite small. As the approach is over the beaches of Laganas Bay, they are not allowed to fly during the night because of the (protected) turtles.

I'm not a great fan myself of excessive noise, but to be honest, during my 3 previous stays at Marelen, I've found the aircraft to be a novelty rather than a hindrance.

IMO, you have selected a first class hotel in a superb location. The excellent beach and shallow safe sea is about 150m walk on a flat tarmac road. You are away from the hustle and bustle of the town, but only 10 minutes walk away, or a cheap taxi ride. Restaurants are plentiful and vary from cheap and chearful to good quality without breaking the bank.

I'm confident that you'll fall in love with Zakynthos like so many of us have. We're off there again on the 15th September for another relaxing break from the hustle and bustle of working life. I can't wait!

Hi

We are taking our three children to Hotel Marelen in August 2005 and we are a little concerned about the aircraft noise. Please could you let me know roughly how many times a day the aircraft fly over and is it only certain times.

Thank you for your help
Vanessa

went to the hotel marelen on the 11th of aug and arrived bak home yesturday(18th of aug) i had the most fantastic time & met a most fantastic person! zakinthos is the best! i miss it so much! the weather is miserable here and is jus makin me depressed!
i wanna go n live ther!! the olive tree resturant is deffinatly the best! and the down under bar!
had a mega time! room 329 is the best :d:d! hope to b back ther soon! loved every minute! love jazmine harvey!!! xxxx

Just arrived home from Zante. It was our first time in Greece and we stayed at the Marelen Hotel. It was in a good location and the fact that it is only 3kms from the airport plane watching was a good pastime. They are so close that you can almost see the pilot! Although the rooms were basic, we could have done with a couple of easy chairs as the only choice we had was to either use the bed or the plastic chairs from the balcony. The self catering facilities in our room were very basic and had we wanted to use them we would have certainly need to request more crockery etc. However we did have our own fridge which we found we really needed. You also have to pay 30 euros per week per room for air conditioning and we certainly needed it. Having said the above the hotel was always clean whereever you went, pool, snack bar, lounge bar and the staff work extremely hard throughout the day and are always willing to help. We hired a car and I can certainly recommend a visit to Zante waterpark, the forumula one go karts and also we drove ourselves around the island. The views are spectacular. Places to eat Mermaids, Olive Tree and Artemis to name but a few these we found were the best ones for us. As a family I would advise do not go into Laganas after 10pm as it appears to be like Aya Napa on a bad day! Even our rep advised us not to go after 10pm. All in all we had a fabulous time and would certainly visit Zante and stay at the Marelen Hotel again. Thanks to all the staff who made our stay an enjoyable one.

Visiting Zante for first time in May 2005 will we need to take mozzie spray? Is it hot then?
Staying at Maleren Hotel

I stayed at the Marelen Hotel in June of this year, it was booked through a lat minute deal with Direct Holidays. Upon arrival at the Hotel I was very impressed by the size and clenliness of the hotel. The pool area & gardens were a great size & immaclualte at all times. The room (204) was a nice size, again very clean the only let down was the size & access to the bathroom - the room was cleaned on a daily basis. The pool area during the day was great, a great snack bar serving all food types & drinks which was not too expensive, the bar (within the hotel) opens at 6:30pm - if you want a laugh have a word with Nick the barman. Bars in Kalamaki are pretty quiet & about a 10 minutes walk away, personally (being a single lad) I tended to hit Laganas on a night, a taxi from right outside the hotel costs around 6 EUR, if you're the younger generation then I'd seriously recommend Lagans, if you want quite more family style bars got to Kalamaki. I'd definately go back to the Marelen & have no problem recommending this hotel.
Stu - Washington Tyne & Wear

Visited Hotel Marelen from 16th June to 30th.
First time to Greece,& wont be our last.The Hotel was well situated,the lovely beach at one end of the road,shops at the other.We hired a Pedalo to go turtle spotting & saw absolutely loads,one of the many highlights of the holiday.The hotel was clean,the staff friendly.The owner was walking around every day making sure all was well.We had a two bed apartment,corner,ground floor(406)which was very spacious,no-where to sit really though,only the chairs in the small kitchen,but that wasnt really a prob as we were out exploring every day.The rooms are very hot at night and you have to pay for the air con about £35 a week.we also had lots of wildlife visiting us at night,green tree frogs,& Geckos,wonderful.The planes were not annoying to us,one of the reasons we booked this hotel was so we could plane spot,the run-way is at the end of the road,they started around 6 in the morning and stopped at 10,fantastic.We are not sunbathers,so we hired a car(Eurosky rentals,on the left walking up the main strip)for the first week,and went touring,we visited all the beach resorts,& saw some fantastic sights.We hired a Suzuki Jimny jeep the second week and did some rough roads(dirt tracks!!!)what a laugh.You must visit Zakynthos town by day and by night,Brilliant.We also liked Argassi,visit waves bar,on the sea-front,good food,& staff.Also alykes(nice beach)and Keri beach,very picturesque.Our favourite restaurant in Kalamaki was Dias,the food was great,the staff very friendly,(Hello Nikos XX Zoe misses you..)The weather was fantastic(one bad stormy day )after that it was in the 40's,Phew.We had a fantastic holiday,we did so much I could go on&on.So sad were back)o:Hotel and resort,highly recommended,the people very friendly.We will definitely be returning,to the Hotel Marelen and Kalamaki,.Go....you wont be dissapointed

WE HAVE JUST RETURNED BACK LAST WEEK AND WE HAVE TO SAY IT WAS THE BEST COMPLEX WE HAVE EVER STAYED IN. THE ROOMS WERE KEPT SPOTLESS WITH MAID SERVICE EVERYDAY. THE POOL BAR WAS BRILLIANT AND THE FOOD THERE WAS EXELLENT. IF YOU ARE THINKING OF GOING TRY TO EAT AT THE BUON AMICI ITALIAN RESTERAUNT, THE FOOD IS OUT OF THIS WORLD. WHILST WE WERE THER WE ALSO DID A TOUR OF THE ISLAND BY BOAT, IT WAS BREATHTAKING AND NOT TO BE MISSED. WE WILL DEFINATLEY BE GOING BACK.

Just returned from the Marelen with my husband and two children. This was our second visit to the hotel and we loved it. Entertainment not that good and the trips are a rip off. Nick the barman is fantastic a real joker. We have made some good friends who live on the island and will be going back. Staff are very friendly and make your stay very pleasant. Rooms are basic but very clean. Hire a pedelo from the beach and i guarantee you will see turtles, we did on numerous occasions. Cant wait to go back.

just returned from marelen hotel.stunning hotel handy for beach (100 yds} main shops-resteraunts 5 minutes stroll away all on one road.the pool bar was very good for afternoon snacks & drinks. pool was clean but quite deep ! kiddies pool is ideal for toddlers (if sup**vised). recepition & bar staff are friendly & helpful. rooms are basic but quite adequate.you only sleep and shower in them anyway !. (planes we loved them) for a good quiet. quality holiday marelen is the place to book. (p.s euro zante for car hire)

We are staying at the marelen last week in september. Its our first holiday abroad with our 2 year old. Is there plenty for her to do during the day without us leaving the hotel? Are there any places that are particularly child friendly? Also, thanks for reccomendations everyone. Its a real help to have an idea of where to try out first!

Do the self catering studios have air conditioning and do they sleep three people comfortably.

We stayed in this hotel in June and we found it to be very reasonable. The rooms are basic, but are clean. The bathroom we had was very small and it was impossible to open the door and get to the toilet, instead we had to squeeze ourselves between the door and the sink to then be able to close the door properly. The balconies are also a nice comfortable size as well. On arrival, we were welcomed at the entrance of the hotel by one of the staff and then we were shown to our rooms. All the staff were very helpful, although the ladies who clean the rooms are always shouting at each other and I wondered were they having arguments? Also the snack bar is a reasonable price and the cook has a litle microphone and he's always calling your number out when your order is ready !
I was very impressed with the fact that everyday there was so many sun loungers available and there was plenty of room for everyone. The pool was clean and the surrounding gardens were in great condition and well looked after. I found the location was fine as we enjoyed our walk into town pleasant in the evenings, although you can cut down by the Amarylis hotel, which knocks off 5 - 10 minutes walking. However there is a taxi rank immediately outside the hotel which was very handy and this was 5 euro into town. I would consider this hotel in the future as I would definitely go back again to Zante as the island is gorgeous and the people are friendly.
You can also see the airport from the main road and is only 10 mins journey from the Marelen. The aircrafts didn't bother us and was a novelty to see.

We enjoyed our holiday, but it was not ideal. The hotel is on the flight path and the planes fly very, very low. They do not fly at night and it is quite interesting for the kids who can actually see the pilot!. Dont expect a plethora of turtles. We saw two on a trip. The hotel is very basic, but very clean. The pool is big, but the shallow end is at least 4ft deep and the deep end bottomless. There is a small kids pool for toddlers. Beware though, the signs say you can swim up until 10pm, but the staff add chemicals about 8.30pm and do not offer any warning. Food is basic and the entertainment dire. The Greek night is a rip-off. Dont wait-in for entertainment as it is often cancelled without notice. The kids party and face-painting didnt start until 9.30pm. Staff are lovely but unsupported by Airtours, who clearly dont give a toss about customers or their reps. Jeep Safari is Fantastic, but we discovered that Airtours deliberately overbook as they assume some people wont turn up. As a result, we were turned away and had to re-book, but got a 50% refund. Self catering facilities comprise two electric hot rings. Eat out. Restaurants are pretty good and the food was first class. Prices vary but the quality of the food doesnt. The guide on on this website is spot on. The hotel does not have aircon, the 'local charge' which for a two bed was £40 per week! It may seem expensive, but it is very very hot. On the whole, good fun but for the four of us it cost £1500 plus eating out etc. We have booked club St Lucia all inclusive for less than the total cost of this mediocre hotel and resort. Finally, hire a car. The island is beautiful and there is lots to see. But wait until after the jeep safari - they know all there is to know. If you have already booked, you will have fun and dont be put off by my bluntness. It really is a lovely island with lovely people. You may see a turtle on a trip - personally, I think the are polystyrene remote controlled models developed by Airtours........ Honest!

is the weather nice in october as i am going at this time and what is the night life like is it good as i wil be 15 when i visit the place

Hi Roy

I think you'll have a great time at the Maralen. You will need a universal adaptor for your electrical appliances. Take notice of the instructions given re. Greek toilets if you want to avoid an inconvenient blockage. The routine is different to what we're used to, that's all.

Happy holidays

Ken

i am staying at marelen hotel in may 2004. its my 1st time in greece,as i normally to spain,and i am not sure if the electrical sockets are the same as uk or will i require universal adaptors
ie 2 pin or 3 pin sockets
thank you

Out of the 6 times we have stayed in zante, this was definatly the best hotel! Our room was great, had 6 beds and only 2 of us staying here!! loads of room! Bathroom was big and even had a bath (unusual in Zante) Rooms cleaned 5 days outa the 7, and the bins emptyed every day. Evening entertainment most nights great for kids and familys. Had kids clubs to. short walk to beach, but further to kalamaki town. (taki rank right out side). there was aircraft noise, but wasnt distubing as they didnt fly through the night. Thanx to all the staff at Marelen from room 404!

We have just returned from the Marelen Hotel after a two weeks stay and already we are missing it. The pool was great, no problems getting a sun lounger at whatever time of day. The restaurants and bars are about 5 minutes away if you take the short cut past the Amaryllis Aparthotel (which has a great restaurant at reasonable prices). The staff at the Marelen were superb. Niko kept us well entertained especially on the Greek Night and Edmond kept us supplied with coffee when we needed it. I would highly recommend this hotel and resort, we went into Laganas and I feel that we made the right choice with Kalamaki unless you're after an 18-30's then go to Laganas. The beach was beautiful and ideal for kids as the sea was shallow for about 100 - 150 yards although there are restrictions because of the turtles (not a problem though)!! Don't worry about the aircraft noise we actually found it quite amazing watching them take off and land. Thanks to all of the staff for making our stay in Zakynthos such an enjoyable one.